QUEENS — A Queens woman was sentenced Tuesday to seven and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to sex and labor trafficking involving a 14-year-old girl, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.
Marilyn Roque, 30, of Beach 114th Street in Rockaway Park, pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of a child, sex trafficking by force, labor trafficking, and endangering the welfare of a child. Queens Supreme Court Justice Peter Vallone ordered the prison terms to run concurrently.
Prosecutors said the victim arrived in the U.S. from El Salvador in September 2022 and lived with Roque. On December 31 of that year, Roque forced the girl to engage in sexual activity with a 49-year-old man for $600. Roque also required the child to work shifts at a restaurant and care for her children without pay, taking the victim’s earnings and threatening her with deportation if she did not comply.
The victim was frequently kept out of school, according to the charges.
“This defendant took advantage of a child and forced the 14-year-old to engage in prostitution and work shifts at a restaurant for her own financial gain,” said District Attorney Katz.
Roque’s co-defendant, Jesus Juarez-Reyas, 51, of Beach 113th Street, pleaded guilty to rape in the third degree and patronizing a person for prostitution. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 23.
Both defendants will be required to register as sex offenders.